


Left Behind to Be Together

by MissMeonSite



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Established Keith/Shiro (Voltron), M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-29 18:20:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15078929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMeonSite/pseuds/MissMeonSite
Summary: Shiro and Keith are talking on the roof, and Keith realizes how much Shiro cares about him. He feels guilty about that since he believes he should've been doing more for Shiro.





	Left Behind to Be Together

“Yeah, me too.”  
What? Keith can barely believe Shiro. Shiro, the Takashi Shirogane, who was the golden boy of the college and the idol of underclassmen, pulses Keith’s heart into a fanatic beat. He his palms become hot and sweaty while Shiro remains quiet, waiting for Keith to continue talking about his frustrations. Keith scrunches his eyebrows together. Sitting up from his reclined position on the roof, Keith bends his knees and leans forward to lay his arms on top of them. He rests his cheek there to look back at Shiro, still reclining on his back staring at the universe above them. He looks serene, unlike the Shiro everybody gets to see on campus at football games, in honor council meeting, and in the residence halls.  
Shiro’s the quarterback of the football team. As the unwavering leader, he remains confident and cheerful for the team even if they're losing their fifth game. Keith can see him at games, directing the offensive and keeping a smile on the team’s faces. He remembers Shiro telling during a particularly awful semester that he would like an actual win, but he would rather have his team enjoying themselves. He knows that winning is a huge part of enjoying the game for a lot of them. This is their future too. Keith can surmise that Shiro’s leading by example: playing his best and acting his best. Shiro does the same on the honor council, which is much less enjoyable for Keith. At least with football, Keith can work out with Shiro and watch him play. Keith knows barely anything about the honor council, just what Shiro has shared. Shiro was picked for the position due to upholding the standard of the college: honesty, impartial, and knowledgeable. As vice president, he spends hours leading business meetings, guiding communities, and voting whether or not a student cheated on an exam. Keith’s positive Shiro’s charm got him the position along with his talents as an impeccable student. He just needed the swagger to convince the president that he could be VP, quarterback, and a resident assistant. Most of the students know Shiro from his leniency in the halls, but strict ability to convince his peers to uphold the rules the second time around. Keith is unbearably thankful to the universe for pairing him with someone so patient, hardworking, and confident. Because despite his overwhelming amount of scholarly responsibilities, Shiro still has time for Keith. He can climb six flights of stairs since the elevator is broken, unlock the door to the roof since he has permission from the astronomy professor to practice for lab, and sit still with Keith. How Shiro can manage everything is beyond him.  
Keith feels his chest swell. Shiro’s like Atlas but at college, and it can be overwhelming for Keith. However, Keith stuck by him and listened to all his inordinate work-related issues. He listened to Shiro’s pride for school success, worries about friends, and his breath at night. Keith learned that Shiro clenches his jaw when writing essays for class, and discovered that Shiro would fold the edges of his personal books and the entire page of his textbook to save his place. Over time, he memorized his paradoxical schedule of strict class times and extracurricular meetings, but flexible appointments made by students in the residence hall looking for guidance. Keith could even recognize Shiro’s types of smiles. Everyone knew Shiro’s signature smile: simple and kind. Shiro flaunts it all day, but after a while together Keith could notice little inconsistencies among a smile to greet people or to be polite. The greeting smile is a quick flash of teeth and a hello before resting into a relaxed grim. The polite smile is when Shiro’s tired after staying up too late studying for an exam and wants a nap, but still has to talk to two members of the residence hall who are arguing about sharing a room. Then there’s the smile Keith began to notice when they were alone together: serene and sincere. Shiro’s smile is like when they stare at the stars in October when the winds a little too brisk, or the smile Keith spotted one time when Shiro was looking at a family of ducks wading in the pond. It’s a smile like there is nothing else in the world that Shiro would rather be looking at. He knows all this and yet Shiro is laying on the ground looking distant, probably feeling so far away from himself.  
“I didn’t know.” Keith tries to fill the dense air.  
“It’s okay,” Shiro says.  
“I’m sorry.”  
Shiro sits up to look at him now with his signature smile, the one everybody gets to see. Looking at him, though, Keith sees how tired Shiro is. The cold wind makes Keith’s face sting.  
“Don’t be. It’s not your fault Keith,” Shiro mimics Keith’s sitting position, “besides we were talking about your mom. I didn’t need to bring up my own baggage anyway.”  
Keith didn’t say anything. Shiro stopped smiling, and Keith can tell that Shiro’s worried.  
Shiro prompts, “You were talking about your mom. How she abandoned you. You feel lonely a lot?”  
How did Keith not know? They’ve been friends for years now, dating for a good portion of college. Keith doesn’t like to pry, but he never even realized how Shiro was so distant. Keith knew the basics. His likes and dislikes. His interactions. His care and attentiveness. His idiosyncrasies. His smiles and his habits. But he knew nothing about Shiro. He didn’t know his mother abandoned him too. He never even thought to ask about his family. How did he not know how lonely he was feeling too?  
“Keith?” Shiro asks. He has the type of worry meant for close friends, not their peers in the residence halls. He leaned closer to Keith, his hand on the floor supporting the upper half of his body weight while the other hand touched Keith’s cheek. Keith’s face was still stinging.  
“I’m sorry.”  
Shiro wasn’t just the golden boy of the college; he was the ideal for every student. Sincere, sympathetic, and unabashedly selfless. Incredibly attentive to the needs of others, Keith took Shiro for granted. Always talking about himself when they were together like about how much he wants Lance to stop with their rivalry because it’s exhausting, how much he hopes to achieve at school, how he wishes his mother never left him, how he whims his father didn’t disappear, how he wonders if it’s okay if he can cry in front of Shiro. Shiro held Keith while his troubles soak Shiro's shirt before, but this time he should be what Shiro needs. What Shiro always was for him but he just felt he wasn’t meant for Shiro. He felt selfish and needy, taking all of Shiro’s love and not even recognizing that he should return the favor.  
“Keith,” Shiro scooted closer to him. “What’s going on?”  
Keith could feel Shiro wrapping his arms around him. Shiro was so good, moving the topic back to Keith. He felt like crying. It was just Shiro here after all. He could, but Keith would feel worse. Keith wasn’t going to cry like he was going to turn in an unfinished project despite two sleepless nights. Keith wasn’t going to cry because he couldn’t understand why his mother left him without any sort of answer. Keith was going to cry because he didn’t see how much Shiro was doing for him; he didn’t see how much he should've been doing for Shiro.  
“I didn’t know.”  
“How could you? I never told you.”  
Keith turned into Shiro’s embrace to hold him.  
“I should’ve at least realized something.”  
“Oh,” Shiro figured it out. He understood why Keith was apologizing. As if to say he was okay, he forced out a breathy chuckle and nuzzled his face into Keith’s neck. “We just have more to talk about now.”  
Keith couldn’t hold back how guilty he felt especially now that Shiro is still trying to care for him. He bawled.  
“Not that we didn’t have enough to talk about before,” Shiro said.  
Keith gave a brief, soft smile.  
“I’m so sorry, Shiro.” Keith stilled himself. “You, you don’t deserve that.”  
Shiro pulled himself further into Keith, “Neither do you.”  
Keith let out a breathy laugh. Shiro was still comforting Keith even when he was trying to finally be there for Shiro. Keith couldn’t see that Shiro was using him for comfort as well.  
“I mean, you shouldn’t have been left alone too,” Keith laid his forehead on Shiro’s shoulder, “I understand how that feels. I’m here for you.”  
“I know,” Shiro pulled back to give a genuine smile for Keith before kissing him. “Thanks. It just took some time for me to say anything. Sorry.”  
“It’s okay.” Keith pulled them closer again. “I can be here for you now.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I'm new to writing fanfiction, and, dear lord, I hope no one recognizes the username. But, yeah, thank you for reading, and I hoped you enjoyed. (If it didn't come across in the writing, bc I'm still learning how to write creatively, Shiro basically told Keith that his mom/parents disappeared when he was a kid too). Also, this was written before season 6. Also, this is super short (imo), and idk how to format here so I think it looks bad :/


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